Archive for 'Spotlight'

Recently, Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. honored Professor H.T. Smith with its 2013 Equal Justice Leadership Award, recognizing Professor Smith for 40 years of service to the cause of providing effective legal representation to the poor.

The event, part of LSGMI’s 4th Annual Heart of Giving Celebration to the “Together, We Must” Campaign for Justice was held at the magnificent Gary Nader Art Gallery and co-sponsored by Florida Supreme Court Justices R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente, and Peggy Quince.

Professor Smith began his legal career as an intern at LSGMI and later served on LSGMI’s Board of Directors. His law practice has been in the areas of civil rights, criminal defense, and personal injury.

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In 17 years of litigating death penalty cases, Stephen Harper has never had a client sentenced to death.

Celebrating his vital career, the Greater Miami Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union recently honored Harper, clinical professor at Florida International University College of Law, with the 2013 C. Clyde Atkins Civil Liberties Award. The award acknowledges an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the advancement of civil liberties.

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David W. Barman is a 2005 alumnus of the College of Law and one of the first registered patent attorneys from the college. He recently accepted a full-time faculty appointment with the university’s College of Business. Barman, who has taught courses at the bachelor’s and master’s levels at FIU, recently discussed his career path with FIU Law.

What have you been doing since your graduation from law school?

After law school, I took a position with a patent firm in Hollywood. While I was working there, I had occasion to meet an assistant chair in the Department of Criminal Justice at FIU. Although I did not practice criminal law, they offered me a position teaching a class as an adjunct. I have a teaching background having previously taught high school science/advanced math and SAT and MCAT test preparation for Kaplan.

The position eventually led to teaching assignments in Public Administration, where I taught administrative law, and the College of Business teaching business law. I have been teaching as an adjunct at FIU for six years.

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Photo by Frank Leon at Image1st Photography

Fritznie Jarbath received her Juris Doctor from the Florida International University College of Law in 2011. She works at the Law Office of Frank Wolland, a full-service boutique firm, and was just appointed President-Elect of the Haitian Lawyers Association.

We recently sat down with Jarbath to discuss her career path and what led to her appointment.

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Florida International University College of Law students Altanese Phenelus and Frandley Julien were honored as scholarship recipients at the 15th Annual Haitian Lawyers Association Scholarship Gala.

The Scholarship Gala, hosted in honor of the dedication, service, and excellence of its members, was held at the JW Marriot in Miami, on April 13, 2013.

HLA’s members include those in the legal field of Haitian or Haitian-American descent, as well as those who are not of Haitian decent, but have a vested interest in issues affecting the Haitian community.

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MacAdam Glinn JD ’07, center, receives a Torch Award from President Mark B. Rosenberg as Alumni Association President Gonzalo Acevedo looks on.

Neon-clad people and electronic music filled the streets of downtown Miami this past Saturday thanks to the Ultra Music Festival, but the real excitement was inside the nearby JW Marriott Marquis, where the FIU community came together to honor remarkable alumni and faculty at the 12^th annual Torch Awards ceremony.

“This is a joyous occasion that captures the hope, the spirit and the accomplishments of our graduates,” said President Mark B. Rosenberg as he welcomed attendees. “This gathering, ultimately, is a celebration of our values.”

The traditional gold and blue event is held by the Alumni Association to commend university graduates and faculty who have been outstanding in their communities and professional fields.

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Pictured above (l to r) – Front Row: Keyla Smith, Chanel Rowe, Michelle Anglade, Kelly Torres. Back Row: George Knox, Daniel Cartwright, and Sherman Davis.

Recently, two teams of FIU Law students competed in the 7th Annual National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA) International Negotiations Competition in Atlanta. The competition, sponsored by BARBRI, took place at the NBLSA convention March 6 – 10, 2013.

One of the teams consisted of Chanel Rowe (2L) and Daniel Cartwright (2L), while the other consisted of Kelly Torres (3L) and Keyla Smith (2L). Rowe and Cartwright finished second in the national competition. Smith won Best Negotiator of Preliminary Round Two.

Each team was tasked with negotiating cross-border conflicts based on current issues affecting our global community. With 50 minute negotiating rounds, it made for a competitive and time-intensive competition.

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FIU Law Review Editor-in-Chief Courtney Walter (on left) and Executive Symposium Editor Erin Auble introduce the panelists.

Why is there a strong presence of women in higher education, but the highest positions of power and prestige in law firms and corporations are still occupied by men?

This past Monday, the FIU College of Law marked the 17th anniversary of the attack by the Cuban Air Force on two small, unarmed civilian aircraft, by hosting a vigil for the victims’ families and friends.

Four men — three of whom were United States citizens — were shot down and killed by Cuban fighter planes on Feb. 24, 1996, while flying over the international waters of the Florida Straits. Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre, Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales, flying with the Brothers to the Rescue organization, were on a volunteer mission to spot potential rafters at sea.

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Pictured from left to right: Benjamin Crego, Brittany Dancel, Senior Circuit Judge A. Raymond Randolph, Senior Circuit Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg, Chief Judge Linda Ann Wells, Altanese Phenelus, and Chanel Rowe.

In the final round of the 10th Annual Moot Court Competition, held Saturday, Feb. 9, two teams of second-year law students presented arguments before a distinguished panel of judges at Rafael Diaz-Balart Hall.

Senior Circuit Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, presided as chief justice. Joining him on the panel were Senior Circuit Judge A. Raymond Randolph of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and Chief Judge Linda Ann Wells of the Florida Third District Court of Appeal.

The four students, who worked in teams of two, included: Benjamin Crego and Brittany Dancel, arguing for the petitioner, and Altanese Phenelus and Chanel Rowe, arguing for the respondent (the Sunshine County School Board).

The issues presented were whether the School Board violated the First Amendment rights of its students by: 1) preventing the wearing of “Islam is the Devil!” t-shirts under its dress code policy; and 2) suspending the students for speech communicated online while outside of school grounds.

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